Some widely circulated newspapers recently made some news stories on wage theft
that drew my attention. According to reports, a 37-year old Firoza Begum, a migrant
from Munshiganj in Bangladesh was sent back to Bangladesh from the KSA recently.
Firoza claimed that her employer did not pay her the wages of last five months.
The unpaid dues amount to Saudi Riyal 5,000 (USD 1,300). Hashi (28) returned to
Bangladesh from the KSA empty-handed this year. Hashi had worked for two years
and three months in KSA for a monthly wage of SAR 800 (USD 200). "In the last
month (July 2020) I was not paid my due wages of USD 200 by my employer,"- she
claimed. Migrant worker- Parul Akhter (32) returned from Lebanon in August after
losing her job.
Her wages for the last eight months remain with the employer. She claims that her
total unpaid wages would come to US$ 4,000. According to the Refugee and
Migratory Movements Research Unit (RMMRU) study, unpaid dues recorded ranging
from BDT 9,500 (USD 112) to BDT 5 lakh (USD 5,890) who worked in Saudi Arabia,
United Arab Emirates, Qatar and Malaysia.
A research study suggests that the households, who heavily rely on remittances, saw
a sharp decline in savings of up to 62 percent. What is worrying that households' debt
between April and November, 2020 increased by 31 percent. Like Bangladesh, other
remittance-dependent economies in South Asia have experienced same situation. It
has been reported that gulf countries did not make delay for repatriation process by
establishing Covid-19 reason. It seems to me Covid-19 came as blessing for labor
importing countries.
What should be noted here that gulf countries are responsible more in the respect of
wage theft affairs. According the returnee workers, the employers launched inhuman
drive on migrant workers. Reduction of wages and benefit coupled with torture for
resigning letters obliged the workers to return Bangladesh.
It is a pride that the Bangladeshi workers are among others who continued their role
in bolstering gulf countries economy. In first ever such crisis, migrant workers'
contribution is being ignored. Recalling the role played by Bangladeshi workers in
constructing their economy, the oil rich nations should move for payment the wages
and benefit left there. There are many reasons to be proud of gulf countries if I look
back. Just after being independent in 1971, middle-eastern countries began importing
labour from Bangladesh.
The then government was relaxed much in view of remittance inflow from gulf
countries. Still now, inflow of more 50 percent foreign remittance comes from Middle
Eastern countries. We are obliged to recall their support that was provided during bad
time. The reason of carrying out evil activities towards Bangladeshi workers is not
clear to me.
There needs to arrange bilateral talks from government level in order to settle the
payment issue. If red-marked employers deny to settle due wages and benefit to
returnee migrant workers, Bangladesh government might move forward following
legal procedures. Bangladesh embassy offices abroad have to find out real culprits
before stepping in fetching due wages.
Those violated local law related to labour welfare issues must be brought under
interrogation with supports of sending and receiving countries governments. Strict
instructions regarding renewal of business license
might have served to sealed
employers that committed sin towards Bangladeshi works earlier. From now on ,
vigilance or precautionary measures must be made sure for lowering wage theft
cases. Now the time is for taking up the issue of wage theft cases in trial session is
timely demand.
The platform of member of parliaments styled "Parliamentarians Caucus on Migration
and Development" can play an instrumental role in bringing due wages back in